Fascinating look at how 105-year-old cyclist does it

Saturday

Feb 11, 2017 at 10:00 AMFeb 11, 2017 at 10:41 AM

It almost seems as if the words don't belong together: 105-year-old cyclist. Yet there is Robert Marchand of France, at 105 years old, breaking cycling records. Thank you to Mike Schuttenberg, a local cyclist who leads rides around Greater Boston, for calling attention to the piece: "I believe we've heard of Monsieur Marchand's record setting a while ago, but this NY Times article describes in non-technical terms some of the science and research."

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Sue Scheible The Patriot Ledger @sues_ledger

It almost seems as if the words don't belong together: 105-year-old cyclist. Yet there is Robert Marchand of France, at 105 years old, an avid cyclist breaking records.

In its Feb. 8 issue, the New York Times headlined the article "Lessons on Aging Well, From a 105-Year-Old Cyclist." Gretchen Reynold wrote: "At the age of 105, the French amateur cyclist and world-record holder Robert Marchand is more aerobically fit than most 50-year-olds — and appears to be getting even fitter as he ages, according to a revelatory new study of his physiology."

Thank you to Mike Schuttenberg, a local cyclist who leads rides around Greater Boston, for calling attention to the piece. Mike emailed: "I believe we've heard of Monsieur Marchand's record setting a while ago, but this NY Times article describes in non-technical terms some of the science and research."

Reynold writes that new research with Marchand "may help to rewrite scientific expectations of how our bodies age and what is possible for any of us athletically, no matter how old we are."

It is a really interesting and challenging article.

Another excerpt:

"Conventional wisdom in exercise science suggests that it is very difficult to significantly add to aerobic fitness after middle age. In general, VO2 max, a measure of how well our bodies can use oxygen and the most widely accepted scientific indicator of fitness, begins to decline after about age 50, even if we frequently exercise.

"But Dr. Billat had found that if older athletes exercised intensely, they could increase their VO2 max. She had never tested this method on a centenarian, however.

"But Mr. Marchand was amenable. A diminutive 5 feet in height and weighing about 115 pounds, he said he had not exercised regularly during most of his working life as a truck driver, gardener, firefighter and lumberjack. But since his retirement, he had begun cycling most days of the week, either on an indoor trainer or the roads near his home in suburban Paris.

"Almost all of this mileage was completed at a relatively leisurely pace.

Dr. Billat upended that routine."

Reynolds quotes Dr. Billat as saying the data suggest that we can improve VO2 max and performance at every age.”

Reynold continues: "There are caveats, though. Mr. Marchand may be sui generis, with some lucky constellation of genes that have allowed him to live past 100 without debilities and to respond to training as robustly he does.

"So his anecdotal success cannot tell us whether an 80/20 mix of easy and intense workouts is necessarily ideal or even advisable for the rest of us as we age. (Please consult your doctor before beginning or changing an exercise routine.)

"Lifestyle may also matter. Mr. Marchand is “very optimistic and sociable,” Dr. Billat says, “with many friends,” and numerous studies suggest that strong social ties are linked to a longer life. His diet is also simple, focusing on yogurt, soup, cheese, chicken and a glass of red wine at dinner.

"But for those of us who hope to age well, his example is inspiring and, Dr. Billat says, still incomplete," the article states.

You can read the full report online.

From the Journal of Applied Physiology:

PURPOSE OF STUDY: "The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological characteristics of an elite centenarian cyclist who, at 101 years old, established the one-hour cycling record for individuals ≥ 100 years old (24.25 km) and to determine the physiological factors associated with his performance improvement two years later at 103 years old (26.92 km; +11%).

"Before each record, he performed an incremental test on a cycling ergometer. For two years, he trained 5,000 km a year with a polarized training that involved cycling 80% of mileage at "light" RPE ≤ 12 and 20% at "hard" RPE ≥ 15 at a cadence between 50 and 70 rpm."

RESULTS: His body weight and lean body mass did not change, while his ⩒O2max increased (31 to 35 ml.kg-1min-1; +13%). Peak power output increased from 90 to 125 W (+39 %), mainly due to increasing the maximal pedaling frequency (69 to 90 rpm; +30%).

"Maximal heart rate did not change (134 to 137 bpm) in contrast to the maximal ventilation (57 to 70 L.min-1, +23%), increasing with both the respiratory frequency (38 to 41 cycle.min-1; +8%) and the tidal volume (1.5 to 1.7 L; +13%).

"Respiratory Exchange Ratio increased (1.03 to 1.14) in the same extent as tolerance to ⩒CO2 In conclusion, it is possible to increase performance and ⩒O2max with polarized training focusing on a high pedaling cadence even after turning 100 years old."